PANAMA 1914 IS NOW BOARDING!Join this great voyage through the history of the Panama Canal, which is, one hundred years after its completion, on the eve of a new chapter in its spectacular history.From the early explorers, many seeking a critical water connection between two of the world's great oceans to the determination of the best engineers of America, the BIG DIG finally opened for shipping - you can be on board!What stood in the way of making this canal a reality? Dense jungle, bottomless swamps, snakes and wild animals, endless mountain slides, vicious mosquito borne illnesses, hostile Indians, marauding pirates and buccaneers, and jealous colonial-era world powers, just to name a few.The story of the Panama Canal is told in this book through the original news reports of the day along with great photos of the construction efforts, gripping illustrations and editorial cartoons that appeared in many publications. In addition, the detailed chronicles of veteran newspaperman Logan Marshall have been restored, edited and abridged by the author. The story told so well one hundred years ago has been newly enhanced, researched and the verbiage brought up to date. PANAMA 1914 provides the reader with a full understanding of the aborted tries, the competing routes, and the lambasting of President Teddy Roosevelt at the hands of the press as well as interesting anecdotes of history. For instance: learn about the practice of renting gravesites, much like today's storage lockers. What happened when the relatives of the deceased failed to pay the rent? Scotland sent settlers to establish a colony at Panama. What happened? Of eight hundred Chinese workers who arrived to work on the canal and railroad, hundreds committed suicide and all of them either died or left, due to pestilence and turmoil. Why did hundreds of them fling themselves into the ocean?A custom-made $40,000 Pullman car for a French canal company big shot was only part of the way the funds of investors were squandered in the failed effort that led to the takeover by the United States. What was the real cost to build this spectacular ditch?What happened when the U. S. House of Representatives had to decide whether to build the canal through Panama or plan a trip through Lake Nicaragua? The desperate dash of the USS Oregon to travel the long distance from the west coast around South America to help defend the east coast from a Spanish Armada reportedly heading to attack! That episode helped push the decision to enable America to quickly move ships from one ocean to the other - with the construction of the Panama Canal.Corruption, charges and counter-charges went on for many years after this: in March, 1899, Marshall wrote "Congress authorized the President to make an exhaustive investigation as to the most practicable and feasible Isthmian route for a canal that should be under the complete control of the United States and the absolute property of the nation". A lobbyist stepped in and the key legislators learned about an explosive potential in one country which led to a decision being finally made to build the $375,000,000 water connection between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Step aboard the ship of history and don't forget your mosquito netting.
About the Author: As a maritime history speaker, Rossignol enjoys meeting audiences around the world and discussing the original news stories of the sinking of the RMS Titanic and other maritime history topics. Rossignol has appeared on dozens of ships in the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean discussing the stories of the heroes of the Titanic, the explorations of the new world voyagers, the Bermuda Triangle, the history of piracy and other maritime history topics. Rossignol regularly appears at the Titanic Museum Attractions in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and Branson, Missouri for book signings and to talk with visitors about the RMS Titanic. He has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC 20/20; ABC World News Tonight and in a currently running production of Discovery Channel Investigation Motives & Murders Series, A Body in the Bay. News coverage of Rossignol's landmark civil rights case, represented by Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz re: United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Rossignol v Voorhaar, 2003, included articles in most major news outlets, as well as a column by syndicated columnists James J. Kilpatrick. The story of the St. Mary's Today newspaper is now available in ebook and paperback: The Story of THE RAG! The book includes nearly 200 editorial cartoons that appeared over the years. A strong highway safety advocate, Rossignol also publishes the DWIHitParade.com which focuses on impaired driving and the monthly publication, The Chesapeake. News coverage of Rossignol's DWIHitParade won an Emmy in 2012 for WJLA reporter Jay Korff and coverage of the St. Mary's Today newspaper by WUSA reporter Bruce Leshan was awarded an Emmy in 2000. Visit the TitanicSpeakersBureau.com for information about booking Rossignol for your event.